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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27683975">Lemon bars.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/chanmosphere/pseuds/chanmosphere'>chanmosphere</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tales of Chanbaek [26]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>EXO (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Coffee Shops, Fluff, M/M, Strangers to Lovers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 01:27:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,587</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27683975</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/chanmosphere/pseuds/chanmosphere</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Baekhyun waits in that coffee shop everyday, hoping to see him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tales of Chanbaek [26]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/954441</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Lemon bars.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There's something particularly special about this particular spot in this particular coffee shop. Pushed against the large glass window, mostly hidden from the view of other customers by a panel of glass fiber where plants and pots hang as a form of decoration for the place. </p><p> </p><p>Baekhyun started visiting the coffee shop a few months ago, after a rare morning where he was running late for work and needed his daily dose of caffeine to function throughout the day; this place had been conveniently on the way, ready to offer good coffee at an acceptable price and it was nice. Not as nice as the coffee Baekhyun would usually get at his usual high-end bistro, but nice, nonetheless.</p><p> </p><p>It was barely two months back, five months into visiting the same coffee shop every morning. That fateful day when Baekhyun's life changed foreverㅡ well, not really forever and it didn't really <em> changed, </em> perse, but how could Baekhyun forget? How could Baekhyun forget <em> him </em>? On all his tall glory, slightly tanned skin, soft brown hair and big bright eyes. How could Baekhyun forget, his confident pace? Or the way his deep voice would order his usual White Mocha with a Hint of Spices, One Sugar, One Extra Shot of Caffeine and Chocolate Sprinkles on Top? Baekhyun doesn't even know his name, but seeing him walking in the shop every morning is enough to make his day more bearable.</p><p> </p><p>It is just wishful thinking, Baekhyun knows, to assume the handsome stranger even <em> knew </em> of Baekhyun's daily presence there, just to grab a look at him and then go. It's kind of pitiful, Baekhyun thinks, to be pining over a complete stranger. A complete <em> handsome </em>stranger that is probably loaded, by the looks of his expensive suits; a complete handsome stranger that is possibly quality boyfriend material; a complete handsome stranger that promises to swipe Baekhyun off of his feet just by walking by.</p><p> </p><p>Baekhyun sighs, dreamy eyes fixed on the window watching people pass by, going on with their lives as everyone should. As <em> he </em> should, and yet, here he is, sighing and dreaming about Mister White Mocha with a Hint of Spices, One Sugar, One Extra Shot of Caffeine and Chocolate Sprinkles on Top… he's not a hormonal teenager, he needs to start acting like the grown man he is and yet, he doesn't even try to move, waiting for the little bell on the door to jingle, signaling the arrival of a new customer. Hopefully, <em> his </em>customer.</p><p> </p><p>It's a Saturday morning, he doesn't have to rush to work today, so Baekhyun has decided to come to the coffee shop, order his usual Americano and a bagel for breakfast. He had promised himself, on one those morning moments of false courage, that this was going to be his last visit to the shop. He would look around for another one later. This Americano and this bagel, is his goodbye meal. He has to forget about Handsome  White Mocha with a Hint of Spices, One Sugar, One Extra Shot of Caffeine and Chocolate Sprinkles on Top and move on with his life.</p><p> </p><p>Baekhyun is half-way through his bagel when the Universe decides today is a good day to make him struggle and a slice of tomato slides out of his sandwich straight to the floor. He groans and stares at the traitor slice for a moment before grabbing a napkin and bending down ㅡbecause standing up and crouching takes up to much workㅡ to pick it up. When he finally manages to reach it and sits straight back up, he feels a little dizzy, small flashes of white light in his eyes and ears buzzing. <em> Oh wow… </em> maybe he should stop eating all those cinnamon rolls and start working out.</p><p> </p><p>"Hello." The deep voice comes as a surprise. Baekhyun was busy trying to clear his head he hadn't heard the bell ringing, nor he had noticed the person sitting on the chair across him. Baekhyun startles, the embarrassing sound of a snorting pig escapes his mouth and he feels like dying, wanting the Earth to swallow him whole and never let him see the light of day again. There, on the same table as him, sitting right in front of him is Handsome White Mocha with a Hint of Spices, One Sugar, One Extra Shot of Caffeine and Chocolate Sprinkles on Top looking at him with suspiciously narrowed eyes and a small smirk on his lips. "You okay?" He asks now, tilting his head to the side a little and all Baekhyun can think of is <em> cute. </em> This handsome stranger reminds him of a cute, curious puppy andㅡ no, rewind, he can't be comparing the man he's been dreaming about for <em> weeks </em>with a dog; that would be weird.</p><p> </p><p>But Baekhyun can't speak, he's just awkwardly staring, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "I uh… I-I-I…" The smirk on the man just grows and is that <em> smugness </em>Baekhyun detects? Is Handsome White Mocha with a Hint of Spices, One Sugar, One Extra Shot of Caffeine and Chocolate Sprinkles on Top making fun of him? Baekhyun narrows his eyes, of course he is. And well, who wouldn't, when he can't seem to even form a proper sentence right now.</p><p> </p><p>"I'm Chanyeol." Handsome White Mocha with a Hint of Spices, One Sugar, One Extra Shot of Caffeine and Chocolate Sprinkles on Top says, offering his hand. Baekhyun stares at it, unable to process what is going on right now. He doesn't take it, not because he's being rude, but because his brain has forgotten what mobility is. So when Handsome White Mocha with a Hint of Spices, One Sugar, One Extra Shot of Caffeine and Chocolate Sprinkles on Topㅡ no, wait, <em> Chanyeol </em>starts to retrieve his hand awkwardly, Baekhyun finally reacts, moving with so much force and speed that when grabs the other's hand and pulls forward, Chanyeol's whole body is almost thrown over the table.</p><p> </p><p>"I'm sorry! Sorry!" Baekhyun is quick to apologise, letting the other's hand go. "I'm sorry."</p><p> </p><p>"You said it." Chanyeol is smirking again, but there's no malice nor mockery in his tone. He just sounds… amused.</p><p> </p><p>"Right. Sorry, um… hi." He finally manages to speak properly without making a fool out of himself.</p><p> </p><p>"I've seen you looking at me." Chanyeol says and once again, his brain goes into a mechanical fail. Baekhyun blinks, unresponsive, but he can feel his neck and cheeks starting to heat up; his ears are probably embarrassingly red, too. "It's fine, I've seen you too." Chanyeol shrugs.</p><p> </p><p>"You've… seen me… too?" Baekhyun asks, trying to figure out if Chanyeol actually means what he thinks he means or if he's just saying that he has seen how creepy Baekhyun is for looking at him from afar practically every day. </p><p> </p><p>Chanyeol hums, nodding as he does so. "I think you're cute."</p><p> </p><p>"I think you're cute too!" Baekhyun answers without missing a beat. Too fast. It leaves Chanyeol blinking at the speedness, but smiling nonetheless.</p><p> </p><p>"That's good to know. It would have been too embarrassing if you thought I'm a creep for coming onto you just like that, but I've been wanting to talk to you for <em> weeks </em>now. I mean, you're always sitting here looking so good that I just couldn't gather the courage to…"</p><p> </p><p>Chanyeol's voice becomes a nice background sound; he's rambling and it's cute, but Baekhyun had stopped listening, trying to process the facts that 1) he has not been the only one pining over a stranger and 2) Chanyeol thinks he looks <em> good </em>just sitting here. That's good, it should count for something, shouldn't it? </p><p> </p><p>"Can I…" Baekhyun suddenly interrupts Chanyeol's babbling. The other looks at him with wide eyes. Baekhyun clears his throat. "Can I buy you a cup of coffee?" He asks, upon noticing that Chanyeol has no drink with him.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh." Chanyeol looks down at the empty space on the table. He had come with the intentions of buying something and then, in case of being brave enough, man up and talk with the Cute Stranger, but all plans had gone down the toilet the moment he saw his Cute Stranger looking cuter than ever on that oversized hoodie and simple black jeans. He even had <em> sweater paws </em> . <em> Cute </em> sweater paws and that could only be <em> not </em>legal. "I… sure. I always orderㅡ"</p><p> </p><p>"White Mocha with a Hint of Spices, One Sugar, One Extra Shot of Caffeine and Chocolate Sprinkles on Top." Baekhyun completes the phrase for him almost automatically. He realizes his mistake way too late because now, Chanyeol is looking at him like he just grew another head. That must have been the creepiest shit Baekhyun has ever done and of course it had to happen with his Coffee Shop Crush of all people. "I'm sorry, I just… hear you order it everyday. I have a good memory." He looks away, biting his lower lip. "I'm not a creep, I promise." He adds for good measure.</p><p> </p><p>Chanyeol laughs, his shoulders shaking as he does so and it's the most enticing sight Baekhyun has seen so far. Chanyeol is handsome, but he's also very pretty, with his boyish looks making him seem younger than he probably is. His pushed back hair gives him a care-free look and that mole on his nose just begs to be kissed and worshipped.</p><p> </p><p>"I didn't think you were one." Chanyeol chuckles. "But you're staring." The smirk comes back to his lips. Great, now Chanyeol does think he's a creep, but it's so hard not to stare when Baekhyun is sure this is the first and last time he'll see his Handsome Stranger. He wants to remember every single bit of his face.</p><p> </p><p>"I'm sorry." Baekhyun sighs, forcing himself to look away.</p><p> </p><p>"You seem to apologize a lot."</p><p> </p><p>"I act stupid when I'm nervous." Baekhyun accepts.</p><p> </p><p>"You're nervous?" Chanyeol asks. Baekhyun nods, focusing now on his half empty cup. "Why?"</p><p> </p><p>"I'll… go get your coffee first." He gets up before Chanyeol can say anything else and walks up to the counter with shaky legs. This is too much for him. It happened too fast, too sudden, it didn't even give him the chance to think about what to do or say. He wasn't even planning on talking to Chanyeol in the first place. He gives the order to the girl behind the counter, whispering a <em> take your time </em> when she tells him she'll get the order right away, hoping that by the time he comes back to the table, Chanyeol will have to leave. But luck seems to not be on his side today, because five minutes later, the kind girl is giving him Chanyeol's order and two lemon bars with cream cheese frosting, his favorite. <em> On the house </em>, she said, glancing over to where Chanyeol is sitting and then winking at him. Great. Are they that obvious?</p><p> </p><p>"Oh…" Chanyeol lengthens the word when Baekhyun unwraps the lemon bars. "These are my favorite, you didn't have to."</p><p> </p><p>"Really? Mine too!" Baekhyun exclaims, too enthusiastic as he grabs one of the treats.</p><p> </p><p>"So… why, then?" Chanyeol asks, as he carefully takes the other treat.</p><p> </p><p>"Why what?" Baekhyun asks, confused for a moment.</p><p> </p><p>"Why are you nervous?"</p><p> </p><p>He stops chewing, having completely forgotten their conversation before fleeing. Baekhyun forcibly swallows the large chunk of lemon bar and gives a sip to his coffee. "Do I really have to answer that?"</p><p> </p><p>"Yes." And there it is again, that amused smirk that Baekhyun hasn't decided yet if he finds adorable or annoying.</p><p> </p><p>"Honest?" Baekhyun asks, feeling defeated. He has the inkling that this man always gets what he wants.</p><p> </p><p>"Honest." Chanyeol nods, giving his lemon bar another bite.</p><p> </p><p>"Well…" Baekhyun plans on being anything but honest "because you're here talking to me when I thought you didn't even know I existed." He chuckles at himself. "And because you are the most handsome man I've met."</p><p> </p><p>"The most handsome, huh?" Chanyeol's eyebrows peek with interest. Baekhyun shrugs, a failed attempt at downplaying the thought and takes a large bite of his lemon bar. Only one more bite is left.</p><p> </p><p>Chanyeol suddenly stands up and as Baekhyun thinks he's finally getting out of this strange ㅡbut pleasantㅡ situation and readies himself to run away as well and never set foot in this place again, Chanyeol heads to the counter; a few minutes later, he's back with a full box of lemon bars. He sets the treats on the table and pushes it towards Baekhyun.</p><p> </p><p>"Thank you." Baekhyun mumbles, because really, who is he to reject such a delicious gift.</p><p> </p><p>"So! The most handsome." Chanyeol repeats. He's having way too much fun with this, Baekhyun notices.</p><p> </p><p>"Please, it's embarrassing enough to have said it out loud." Baekhyun puffs his cheeks and blows out the air noisily.</p><p> </p><p>"But I also think you are the most beautiful man I've met and I don't think that thinking that is embarrassing."</p><p> </p><p>"Are you trying to confuse me?" Baekhyun quirks an eyebrow.</p><p> </p><p>Chanyeol chuckles. "Not at all. Just stating facts."</p><p> </p><p>"Flatterer."</p><p> </p><p>"Deserved." Chanyeol says as he shakes his head. </p><p> </p><p>"You're on your suit." Baekhyun points out on an attempt at changing the subject and noticing that they've been talking for quite a while now.</p><p> </p><p>"So?"</p><p> </p><p>"That means you have work. Or somewhere to be."</p><p> </p><p>"I do." Chanyeol accepts easily.</p><p> </p><p>"And yet you're still here talking to me." </p><p> </p><p>"They can manage without me." </p><p> </p><p>"Aren't you worried of being fired?"</p><p> </p><p>"I can't fire myself."</p><p> </p><p>"So, the boss." Chanyeol hums. Baekhyun was right, he <em> is </em>loaded. "How are you so sure that you're not wasting your time with me?"</p><p> </p><p>"I would like to take my chances. Go out with me."</p><p> </p><p>"You don't know me."</p><p> </p><p>"That's why we're going out together."</p><p> </p><p>"What if I'm a murderer looking for my next victim?"</p><p> </p><p>"A murderer wouldn't say that."</p><p> </p><p>"How do you know? Are <em> you </em>a murderer?" Baekhyun narrows his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"Wouldn't you like to know." Chanyeol says with a teasing tone.</p><p> </p><p>Baekhyun stills for a moment, but instead of the uneasiness he was waiting for, a soft giggle escaped his mouth involuntarily.</p><p> </p><p>"You're funny."</p><p> </p><p>"I am."</p><p> </p><p>"How modest."</p><p> </p><p>"I try my best."</p><p> </p><p>Baekhyun laughs. For real this time, so loud and throwing his head back that he catches the attention of everyone around them.</p><p> </p><p>"Fine. I'll go out with you." </p><p> </p><p>"Excellent!" Chanyeol exclaims. He suddenly stands up, rolling his sleeve up a little to look at his watch. "I gotta go, now." He says and Baekhyun gapes, <em> that's all he wanted, isn't it? </em>Baekhyun doesn't know if he should be feeling flattered or offended. </p><p> </p><p>"Youㅡ"</p><p> </p><p>"Call me." Chanyeol pulls a presentation card from the inner pocket of his suit jacket and slides it over the table. "I'll see you soon, <em> Baekhyun. </em>" He smirks.</p><p> </p><p>"How did youㅡ" Baekhyun's eyes widen, he doesn't remember telling Chanyeol his name in case the whole thing didn't go well, but now that he thinks about it, it doesn't make much sense.</p><p> </p><p>"It's written on your cup." Chanyeol points out and then, before Baekhyun can protest, Chanyeol is gone, leaving the imprint of a handsome smile on his mind.</p><p> </p><p>Baekhyun stares at the presentation card and then at the still full box of lemon bars. The printed number is crossed out and on its place, there's a handwritten one that seems to be more of a <em> personal </em> number. An involuntary smile spreads on his face, he pulls his phone out and saves Chanyeol's contact number under the name of <em> Future Boyfriend ♡. </em></p><p> </p>
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